- Arsenal field a weakened team for Thursday’s behind-closed-doors friendly
- Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu started the match to get valuable minutes
- We need to get a dominant performance from England. Brazil brings glamour, but these are its reserves! Podcast It all begins
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Arsenal were beaten 4-0 by QPR in a friendly behind closed doors on Thursday in a bruising defeat without some of their stars.
The Gunners are currently without Declan Rice, Aaron Ramsdale and Bukayo Saka – who has since left the squad due to injury – who are on England duty, while William Saliba, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kai Havertz are also unavailable, as well as seven others.
Mikel Arteta and Co have had just over a week of preparation ahead of next Sunday’s huge clash with Manchester City in what could be a title decider at the Etihad.
However, the Spanish boss will be hoping for a much-improved performance after seeing his side lose heavily against Championship opposition.
Despite the majority of the team being made up of fringe players, Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu both started the match, with the Japan international earning a new contract earlier this week thanks to his fine form.
Mikel Arteta’s side suffered a bruising defeat to Championship side QPR on Thursday.
Takehiro Tomiyasu had some early minutes as he continues to recover from a calf injury.
Michael Frey scored twice for QPR either side of half-time in the bruising 4-0 defeat
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Likewise, Marti Cifuentes took the opportunity to rest some of his first-choice stars, with former Arsenal youngster Chris Willock on the bench and Asmir Begovic, Kenneth Paal and Lyndon Dykes not involved.
The Ghana midfielder had the best chance early on with a shot on goal that forced a good save from QPR’s backup keeper Joe Walsh, but the Gunners failed to find a way through.
Also in action was Ilias Chair, who was sentenced earlier this season to a year in prison in Belgium after smashing a truck driver’s skills with a rock during a kayaking excursion.
He would appeal the verdict, having also been ordered to pay the truck driver some £13,400 in compensation.
Rangers ultimately dominated the tie, with Michael Frey scoring twice either side of half-time, and former Liverpool midfielder’s colts Elijah Dixon-Bonner and Ziyad Larkeche completing the rout.
Even if it wasn’t exactly the result Arteta would have wanted, he will at least have been happy to see some of his first players get some minutes in their legs after injury layoffs.
Arteta will at least have been happy to see some of his young stars getting valuable minutes
Partey has played just 276 minutes in six league matches this season – an average of 46 minutes per game – while the versatile Tomiyasu has been out since early February with a calf problem.
Likewise, seeing Amario Cozier-Duberry, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Taylor Foran feature prominently will please the boss as his emerging young talents get a taste of action against seasoned professional opposition.
